Unanswered Doesn't Mean Unheard
by Miss Mudblood
Summary: Bobby is in the hospital. Sam is trying to keep it together. Dean is slowly falling apart. Takes place one week after 7x09. Oneshot.


A/N: Hello Supernatural Fandom! This is my first story for this particular fandom, although I've been extremely addicted to the show since March. It takes place after episode 7x09, when poor Bobby is in a coma in the hospital. Rating is for language. On another note, if you have any requests for a SPN story, I'd be happy to do some! Just be aware the only pairings I'm actually decent with are Dean/Cas and mostly everything involving Bobby. I hope you enjoy!

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><p>Disclaimer: I do not own Dean Winchester, Sam, Eye of the Tiger, Crowley, the Impala, sawed-off shotguns, or even a piece of pie. I do, however, own a lovely Samulet and the imagination with which I wrote this oneshot. Everything belongs to Sera Gamble, Eric Kripke, Ben Edlund, the CW, etc.<p>

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><p>It had been a week. A whole freakin' week and still Dean and Sam sat in that damn hospital room. The doctors said the outlook wasn't good. The nurses all gave the two of them sympathetic looks. Dean was on edge, trying not to punch the next doctor who came in with a somber stare and useless words. He was tired of losing people. He couldn't lose another friend. Another family member. He blinked rapidly, refusing to give in to the feeling of tears welling up in his hazel eyes. He would not give up. He stood up, jaw set and hell-bent on finding a way to save Bobby.<p>

Sam said immediately, "Dean, where are you going? The doctor should be here soon to give us some more inf-"

"I don't care what the fucking doctors have to say anymore," Dean replied, more harshly than he intended. "I-I'm just going to grab a burger or something. I'll be back soon."

Dean could hear Sam sigh as he walked out of the room. He pulled the keys out of his pocket and reached his hand out to open the door to the Impala- to go God knows where- when his phone rang. Dean closed his eyes, deciding whether or not to answer. He just didn't think he could handle any more shitty news on top of everything else. The phone stopped ringing.

He got into the Impala and mentally went through all of the hunters he knew of. Or at least the living ones, he added bitterly. Surely one of them could have an idea of a spell, or a creature, or anything that could save the only person (other than Sam) that he had left.

Once he pulled out of the hospital parking lot, his phone rang again. Dean took it out with an audible sigh and a quick intake of breath before he answered, "Yes Sam?"

"Get your ass back here. Now. It's important," his brother replied breathlessly.

"Why? What happened?" Dean's stomach turned uncomfortably. Had something happened?

"Just get here now, you'll see." And then silence.

Dean turned the Impala around on the next corner, trying to head back to the hospital as calmly as he could. He was still speeding slightly, but hey, at least he was trying.

When the eldest Winchester returned to the hospital room, he found more than Sam and Bobby. A pale woman, auburn hair floating around her shoulders and a serene expression on her face, was standing over Bobby. He gripped his gun reflexively and glared at Sam.

"Who the hell is she, Sammy?"

Sam grinned, tears evident in his eyes. "Dean, it's okay. She's an angel."

Dean's throat tightened for a moment. "How do we know we can trust her? As we've both learned, angels aren't always angelic."

"Castiel sent me," she said calmly. A hint of a smile played on her comely features.

"I may not be the smartest son of a bitch in the world, but I'm nowhere near that stupid. Cas is dead," Dean choked out angrily. His fingers tightened on the gun, even though he knew it was no use against an angel.

"No, not dead. He was wounded. His vessel destroyed. That is why he hasn't returned to Earth. Castiel promised his previous vessel, Jimmy, that he would not take his daughter as a vessel. There is no one else in the bloodline. So Castiel is healing in Heaven," she replied.

Sam laughed in relief. "So he sent you to help Bobby?"

"Yes," she said. "Castiel considers Bobby a friend. He also mentioned that he had yet to redeem himself to Dean. And he promised." The woman then reached out her fingers in a familiar gesture that made Dean's stomach clench and placed them gently on Bobby's forehead. "He should awake soon." Sam smiled even wider, and Dean felt a load lighten from his shoulders. Bobby would be okay.

"Thank you," Sam said to her. "And please, thank Cas for us also."

"Why not thank him yourself?"

"Uh- how would we do that if he's stuck up in Heaven?" Sam said in confusion, furrowing his brows slightly.

"Just because he cannot answer your prayers doesn't mean he cannot hear them." She looked almost pointedly at Dean, who flushed. He hadn't meant to pray to Cas so often in the time without him. Whenever he needed someone to talk to and Sam wasn't around, he just found himself silently wishing to the sky.

"Why can't he just re-create his vessel? Isn't that what Anna did? And what God did after Lucifer destroyed Cas during the apocalypse?" Sam looked thoughtful and, dare he say, hopeful.

"It is… complicated. Not impossible, but immensely difficult," the angel answered. "Such a solution would take time, not to mention a great deal of strength which Castiel does not currently possess in his weakened state."

"But it is possible?" Sam reiterated.

"Yes." She looked up briefly, as if seeing something particularly interesting on the ceiling. "Now I must return to Heaven. Castiel would like me to tell you goodbye." Then, with an achingly familiar sound of fluttering wings, she was gone.

Sam got up and hugged Dean, and they then looked happily at the slumbering Bobby. Perhaps everything would be okay after all. Dean quickly closed his eyes and prayed, Cas, if you really can hear me, I forgive you. Just please come back soon. You're still family, y'know.


End file.
